Valerie June, Pushin’ Against a Stone (2013) and The Order of Time (2017)

By SoDak

In 2013, I was swept off of my feet by Valerie June, when I first heard Pushin’ Against a Stone. She serves as a nexus of the various strands of Americana music. Her voice is slightly quirky, capturing my attention. Her songs are addictive. Once I start listening to her, I simply cannot stop for days. “Workin’ Woman Blues,” the opening track from that record, is catchy as hell, with an upbeat tempo. The second song, “Somebody to Love,” sounds like a mountain gospel song, pulling at heart strings. It is immediately clear that Valerie June is an extraordinary musician and singer. Every song is spellbinding and moves me.

When her most recent record, The Order of Time, was released this year, I took it on a road trip, driving through the redrock canyons of southern Utah. Valerie June’s voice echoed off of the sandstone cliffs, building in emotion, hitting me at the very core. The songs are so powerful and beautiful that I actually ache—if that makes sense. It might not, but that is what I feel at times. Listening to a Valerie June CD in the car is the next best thing to having her sitting in the passenger seat, singing the songs. Her voice is so rich, and her songs are so evocative, I often feel like weeping, due to how fucking perfect and exquisite things can be in the world. Song after song, “Long Lonely Road,” “Love You Once Made,” and “Shakedown” reveal an amazing mix, as far as influences and styles. Every time I hear her song “Astral Plane,” I am transported back to this past Spring, gliding down the open road, paralleling the river, between the canyon walls. Valerie June’s voice anchors all of this. The Order of Time stands out as one of my favorite records this year.